• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
SBCA Chartered Accountants

SBCA Chartered Accountants

Chartered Accountants in Preston

Call Us Now 01772 204102

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Accountancy & Tax
  • Business Growth
  • Private Wealth
  • Who We Help
  • About
  • Our Team
  • Client Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Client Login

How to retain customers

So how do you stay relevant and thrive in an increasingly competitive market? Delight your customers. Provide a level of service and care that sets you apart from the competition.

11th November 2019 by Chris Bond

Remember the good-old-days, when a handy product and a cheery smile were enough?

It seems like a distant memory in today’s fast-paced, high-demand world. The speed of technology and the growing expectation for an instant response to texts and emails is a real pressure, especially when it comes to customer service. Customers want everything to be better, faster and cheaper, and retailers like Amazon and Virgin are piling extra pressure on to smaller businesses, making it feel harder to succeed.

So how do you stay relevant and thrive in an increasingly competitive market? Delight your customers. Provide a level of service and care that sets you apart from the competition. And this isn’t about big budgets – it’s about a considered and focused approach to customer care and retention.

On average, it costs five times as much to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one.

With this in mind, what advice can we offer our clients to help them retain customers? Here are some key areas to think about:

What do we mean by ‘going the extra mile’?

Whether over the phone, in person or by email, it’s about doing more than your customer expects. Think back to the last positive experience you had as a customer, what made it memorable? We can bet that it was about feeling valued, heard and understood. And the little personal touches – the adviser remembered your name or referred back to something you’d previously spoken about. Or perhaps you had an unexpected free gift with your purchase. We’re not suggesting overkill here! Just be genuinely present and engaged when you interact with your customers. It makes all the difference.

Practical strategies

How is your customer communication? Often, this starts at the top. The easiest way to develop consistency for your customers is to develop consistency in your company. Make sure that you have regular standards training for all employees. Communicate your values and be clear about the impression you intend to portray.

Make time to capture customer feedback, they’re your best indicator of how you’re doing. Regular surveys and customer interviews will help you to assess how effective your communication is, and address any areas for improvement.

Turn problems into opportunities

Mistakes happen. That’s life. But how you deal with a problem or complaint can make the difference between keeping or losing a valued customer. Transparency and ownership are generally the most effective approach. Own your mistakes, apologise and go above and beyond to make things right.

What’s the magic word?

You’ve guessed it: Thank you. A sincere word of thanks, in person, in your communication, on your social media page, or with an invoice, can help to make your customers feel valued and encourage them to keep coming back for more.

Want to learn more about retaining customers?

There’s lots more information in our e-book ‘Reflect. Dream. Do’

Category iconBusiness Management

Xero Gold Partners
ICAEW Chartered Accountants
Clear transparent pricing champions

Footer

Get Your Free Copy of Chris’s Book

Reflect Dream Do

Quick Links

  • Get in touch
  • Book Your Discovery Call
  • Client Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Meet Our Amazing Team
  • Work for us
  • Time. Money. Headspace.

Get Your Free Tax Planning Checklist

Business Tax Planning Checklist

Join The Preston Business Community

Preston Business Community

The Latest From Our Blog

Tax Time

Tax Time – Dates for June 2022

23rd May 2022 By Chris Bond

Tax Time

Tax Time – Dates for May 2022

21st April 2022 By Chris Bond

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF SPRING STATEMENT 2022

The ups and downs of spring statement 2022

24th March 2022 By Chris Bond

Read more from the blog

We use telephone tracking numbers to link a user’s call to the marketing channel that they originated from. This is done using cookies, you can choose to decline cookies using your browser settings if you would prefer not to be tracked. We may record calls for training or monitoring purposes.

This firm is not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services to clients because we are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide.

Copyright © 2022 SBCA Chartered Accountants · Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions · Site Design by Simply Smarter Marketing